The New Frontier: JFK and the Age of Camelot

1. The New Frontier: JFK and the Age of Camelot Mr. Phipps American History

2. California State Standards 11.8.5. Describe the increased powers of the presidency in response to the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. 11.8.7. Describe the effects on society and the economy of technological developments since 1945, including the computer revolution, changes in communication, advances in medicine, and improvements in agricultural technology. 11.9.3. Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: • The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis • Atomic testing in the American West, the "mutual assured destruction" doctrine, and disarmament policies • Latin American policy

3. Part I: The 1960 Election The Election of 1960 marked a major change in the way Americans participated in politics. Politics became a televised event.

4. The New Generation • Americans had hope for the future • Had gotten through the Depression • Had beaten Fascism in Europe and Japan • Had rebuilt the world (especially the West) to be democratic • Had the best nuclear arsenal in the world • Had become more prosperous, lived healthier, and longer than ever

6. John Fitzgerald Kennedy • Long established Massachusetts family, made wealthy from selling alcohol during Prohibition • Considered nouveau riche, part of the newly monied • Irish-Catholic, attended private schools, including Harvard • Served in U.S. Navy during WWII, earned medals for valor and purple heart (back injuries)

7. JFK’s Politics • Elected to Congress as a Democratic Representative for MA • Represented the young Baby-Boomer generation • Promoted Liberal ideas: government should work for the people

10. Richard Milhous Nixon • Long established Republican politician from California • Pushed for strong political and economic conservatism • Small government • Traditional morality • Tax cuts • Strong on Communism

11. Nixon • Gained experience as McCarthy’s right-hand man during HUAC trials • Chosen as Ike’s Vice President • Represented the “Old Guard” conservative Republican

12. The 1960 Election • JFK looked relaxed, young, handsome • Made for TV, looked groomed, PR ready • Nixon looked stiff, uncomfortable, and sweaty • First televised debates in history • Would be a very close election, decided by a few thousand votes

13. The Debate • On the radio • JFK lost, seemed less experienced with the issues • Nixon won, more experienced with issues • On the TV • Nixon lost, looked sweaty, uncomfortable, and awkward • JFK won, looked relaxed, poised, affable and charismatic

15. The Issues • Kennedy’s position: • U.S. faced serious issues abroad and at home • Needed to spend money to protect and help American interests, especially in Cuba • Nixon’s position • U.S. was just fine, after 8 years of Eisenhower/Nixon • Needed to cut spending, because domestic spending was too expensive

16. Part II: The Age of Camelot JFK brought a distinctive style of leadership, organizing a young, ambitious Cabinet and attempting an overhaul of the inner-cities.

17. The Results JFK won by narrow majority • Youngest president in American history (until Obama) • First Catholic president • Assembled youngest Cabinets, many Harvard grads • Brother, RFK was Attorney General • Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense

20. The New Frontier Bold, new domestic programs • Education • Welfare • Health Care • Elderly Assistance • Inner-Cities • Continue FDR’s social action

21. JFK’s Problems • Small Democratic majority in Congress • Barely won the presidency • Congress didn’t support policies • Christian Southern Conservative Democrats didn’t like him • Battled high inflation • Contending in wars in Cuba, Berlin, Russia, and Vietnam • Most legislation would NOT pass

22. The Warren Court • JFK nominated Conservative judge for Chief Justice • Became an activist judge, who took a stand on a number of important social issues

23. Warren’s Decisions Protect the citizen, protect the police department, protect the Constitution: Basic civil rights • Baker v. Carr: Change voting laws, reapportion election process to be based on population (keep power in cities) • Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): can’t use evidence illegally gathered • Escobedo v. Illinois (1964) and Miranda v. Arizona (1966): the right to remain silent, anything said can be used in a court of law, right to lawyer • Engel v. Vitale (1962): No prayer in schools • Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): Overturns ban on birth control

26. Part III: JFK’s Foreign Policy As a result of the Berlin Wall, Russia’s deployment of missiles to Cuba, and the threat of Communism spreading in Vietnam, JFK asked for a flexible response to make America safe.

27. Flexible Response • Challenged Eisenhower’s idea of “massive retaliation” • Pushed for the use of conventional weaponry and military to combat Communism • U.S. couldn’t rely on nuclear arsenal to protect itself

28. Alliance for Progress • JFK’s pledge of support for Latin America • Considered a “Marshall Plan for brown people” • $20 billion to support internal improvements • Supported education and schools • Built hospitals and promote health care • Helped distribute land • Pros: helped some • Cons: much abuse and corruption

30. The Peace Corps • JFK’s call for American international volunteerism • The commitment: • Spend 2 years in developing nations • Specialize in education, agriculture, irrigation, sewage treatment, or health care • Promote democracy and American influence • Remains one of the most lasting legacy’s of JFK’s presidency

32. The Space Race • JFK’s promise to be the first to the moon • 1962: NASA sends John Glenn, first American in space • Used Saturn V rocket to propel out of Earth’s orbit • 1969: Saturn V rocket launches Apollo 11 • First, and only, successful moon landing • Neal Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins

36. The Bay of Pigs Invasion • Considered JFK’s first major foreign policy issue • Intended to overthrow Fidel Castro, who had become too cozy with Khrushchev • Eisenhower, before leaving office, had approved CIA training of Cuban exiles

37. JFK Starts the Invasion (April 17, 1961) • JFK hopes to start a revolution, authorizes invasion • Total Failure: • 1,400 armed Cubans, called La Brigada • Runs aground on a coral reef • JFK cancels air support, keep America’s involvement secret • Castro captured or killed almost all of La Brigada • Exposed American covert operations

38. The Berlin Wall(August 1961) • Immediately following the Bay of Pigs fiasco • JFK and Khrushchev meet in Berlin to discuss E. German refugees escaping to West Berlin • JFK promises to continue support • Khrushchev orders the construction of the wall

40. The Cuban Missile Crisis(Oct. 12, 1962) • American spy plan discovers the construction of missile launching sites in Cuba • Khrushchev had offered nuclear missiles to force JFK’s concessions in Berlin • Began 13 days of an intense stare down

41. Nuclear Chicken • JFK pushes for naval blockade • Goal: • Seize any ships going into/out of Cuba • Force the immediate removal of missiles • The Problem: • A direct attack on Soviets would be an act of war • The existence of the missiles were an act of war

42. The Fallout(Oct. 28, 1962) • Russia blinks! • Russia removes missiles from Cuba • U.S. removes missiles from Turkey • Quarantine ends, but embargo begins • The Problems: • Khrushchev forced from office • Kremlin begins nuclear expansion • U.S. and Russia agree to test ban treaty • Establish direct communication link: the red phone

43. Part IV: The Killing of a President November 22, 1963

44. The Arrival in Dallas • JFK, LBJ, and families arrive in Dallas for a political rally • The families separate for an escorted drive in downtown Dallas • Shots fired: JFK shot in the head and the throat • Eyewitnesses argue about the number and locations of shots

46. The Plot Thickens The Birth of a Conspiracy • Lee Harvey Oswald had connections with Russia and supported the revolution in Cuba • Arrested 80 minutes after the assassination • Evidence found at the Book Repository, where he shot Kennedy • Oswald shot by Jack Ruby, 2 days later

47. The Big Questions • Why did Lee Harvey Oswald kill Kennedy? • Why did Jack Ruby kill Oswald? • Why is there conflicting evidence? • Was this part of a larger conspiracy?

49. The Warren Commission • Chief Justice Earl Warren starts federal investigation • Goal: • Prevent speculation about conspiracy • Submits report, but remains inconclusive • Fuels conspiracy • LBJ immediately becomes president